Principal's Letter

Dear Lopez Students and Families,

What a wonderful summer it has been!  I hope you and your families enjoyed wonderful times together and created many memories.  I just returned from a family reunion in Iowa.  It was so great to see aunts, uncles, and cousins and be together again.

Many of our staff members attended various professional development sessions over the summer.  We have been preparing lesson plans, assessments, and curriculum aligned to the Colorado Academic Standards (CAS) which reflect the state's adoption of the Common Core. Teachers have worked collaboratively and are prepared to implement new strategies to differentiate the instruction for all of our student’s needs. With this work, our leadership team decided to adopt a supplemental tool for math instruction called Exemplars.  Exemplars features grade level specific problem-solving tools and assessments for thinking more deeply about mathematics.  We look forward to sharing more about this at our upcoming parent meetings.  Our teachers have been working hard in preparing their classrooms and lesson plans that promise to make for another exciting and productive year at Lopez.

Lopez is a wonderful school, and I am proud to be part of it.  You are all part of its success.  Last year, we became Colorado's first Lighthouse School recognized by the Leader in Me organization.  Our leadership assemblies, leadership notebooks, student-led conferences, student leadership roles, philanthropy projects, and 7 Habits of Successful Families Event have been hallmarks to our school transformation as a leadership culture.  Look for more information and opportunities throughout the school year.  

I would like to invite and encourage you to be involved at Lopez.  There are a variety of opportunities for parent collaboration and participation.  Our parent community makes our school stronger!  Please attend our quarterly School Accountability Committee (SAC) meetings.  This is where we talk about goals for the school and collectively discuss plans for continuous improvement.  The first SAC meeting is September 18 at 5:30 PM.  The Lopez PTA is also a vital partner.  This group meets monthly and plans special events for families and students.  They need your voice!  The first meeting is September 3 at 5:30 PM.  Finally, there are many other volunteer opportunities in classrooms and for special events.  To begin volunteering, make sure you have signed up on the district's website at www.psdschools.org and have selected Lopez Elementary.  Also at the PSD website, you can sign up for our Lopez email distribution list to receive weekly newsletters and other school communications.  

Please visit our school’s website at lop.psdschools.org.   This will serve as a resource tool for all upcoming events, student/parent handbook, important reminders and you can catch up with our student reporters!  You can also check our monthly calendar.  "Like" Lopez Elementary on Facebook for featured items.

Also, many thanks to our site custodian, Mr. Jones and the District’s entire maintenance crew who have been working diligently to prepare our campus for the start of the new school year.  To see information about all of our new staff, take a minute to read my Principal’s Blog at drgile.blogspot.com

It is going to be a wonderful first day of school, and so great to see new and familiar faces.  I'm looking forward to another great school year!

Dr. Traci Gile, Principal

New staff member- Marti Burnham, GT Coordinator

Welcome Marti Burnham, GT Coordinator, to Lopez Elementary!  Mrs. Burnham will be working 50% at Lopez as part of our WIN schedule, primarily serving 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade students for gifted and talented/enrichment.

Educational and Professional Background:
I am so pleased to be the Gifted and Talented Coordinator at Lopez. I have lived in Fort Collins for the last ten years, but I also attended CSU many years ago. I have an undergraduate degree in fine arts and an MA in elementary education. I hold endorsements for elementary education, art education, and gifted and talented education. I have ten years of teaching experience in a variety of subjects. Most recently, I spent the last three years at Kruse Elementary School teaching advanced and enriched reading and math. I am looking forward to the coming school year and settling into my new home at Lopez!

Personal Interests & Hobbies:
I love spending time with my husband, Joe, and our two daughters, Holly and Lucy. I have several hobbies that allow me to be creative including drawing, cooking, and writing. I also enjoy traveling, gardening, biking, running, and reading. On weekends, you will often find my home full of friends and family sharing meals, playing games, and having fun.

Back to School information

Monday, July 28, 2014

Back to School!


I've started to see the ads for school supplies, so that signals it is time to give you an update about Back to School at Lopez Elementary.  Scan the information below for important dates as well as links to school supply lists and other information.

New families
If any families are new to the Lopez community, they can come by the school to register anytime on August 5 and 6 between 7:30 - 4:30. 

First Day of School – Tuesday, August 19, 8:25 a.m. – 1:08 p.m.The First Day of School is Tuesday, August 19, from 8:25 – 1:08 p.m.  The first bell will ring at 8:25 and students will be considered tardy at 8:30 a.m. Students will line up outside of their pod or classroom doors to enter the building.  After dropping your students at their new classrooms, please join the Lopez PTA for their Welcome-Back Coffee. 

Kindergartners have an alternate orientation day schedule on the first two days of school.  Their personalized schedule will be communicated by the kindergarten teachers. 

Kindergarten Playdate-  Tuesday, August 12 3:00 - 4:00 p.m.
Kindergarten students and families are invited to the Lopez playground for a special playdate to meet one another.  A Popsicle treat will be provided!

Early Release August 19 - 29, 2014:  
Please be aware that all PSD elementary and middle schools will release two hours early the first two weeks of school to address the heat.  Your child will be dismissed from Lopez at 1:08 p.m.  Breakfast and lunch will be served.  BASE Camp is currently accepting reservations for their after school program on the early release dates until August 1.  Contact them at 970-266-1734 or on their website at www.mybasecampkids.org

School Supply Lists:  
Supply lists can be found on our Lopez website at http://tinyurl.com/nw58qko

Class Lists: – Emailed August 11; Posted at School Monday, August 18
Careful planning and teacher recommendation goes into determining your child’s class placement each year.  We will finalize class lists after August registration, and you will receive an email communicating your child’s classroom placement by August 12.  In the event that we have an incorrect email address or do not have that information on file, we will post class lists by the front doors and on classroom doors before our Ice Cream Social on Monday, August 18.

Ice Cream Social: – Monday, August 18, 4:00 - 5:30 p.m.
Please join us for our Welcome Back Ice Cream Social is Monday, August 18, from 4:00 – 5:30 p.m.  You and your students may bring school supplies and meet your teachers.  Then, please return to the front lawn to enjoy ice cream provided by our wonderful PTA.  Teachers will need every minute to set up their classrooms, so please wait until 4:00 to arrive.
 
Breakfast
Breakfast is served beginning at 8:00 a.m.  Student breakfast is $1.25 per day, no charge for students qualified for the Reduced or Free Lunch program.  We have requested the bus arrive at Lopez no later than 8:15; however, if the bus arrives later, student will still be afforded time to eat.

Lunch
Hot lunches will cost $2.35 per day for students including milk and juice.  Students with cold lunch may purchase milk or juice for 45¢.  The adult lunch price is $3.25 and you are welcome to join us any day.  Students may pay for lunches daily, weekly, monthly or for the entire year.  Our lunch system maintains a running tally of each student’s account and the teachers will collect money in their classrooms daily for her.  Please write your child’s name, homeroom teacher’s name and student ID number on ALL checks and envelopes containing cash.  Parents may also pay by credit card by going to the Student Snapshot under the parent tab on the PSD Website:  www.psdschools.org.

Parents may complete the free/reduced meal application online beginning August 4.  Go to the Poudre School district page at www.psdschools.org and under “Schools/Programs” drop down to “Child Nutrition”.  Next, click on “Free and Reduced” and finally on “Apply Now” to access the form.


Food Allergy Awareness
Please be mindful of school-wide, potentially life threatening allergies to foods containing or made in a kitchen containing peanuts and tree nuts. A convenient list of safe peanut/nut free snacks will be included in your Parent Handbook and 1^st Friday Folder as well as available on the website.  We provide nut free lunchroom tables and parents are asked to always check with your child’s teacher before bringing classroom treats.

Bus Information
In mid-August, our Skyview families may access the bus schedule online using the link on the front page of the district website www.psdschools.org/ as well as on our web page www.psdschools.org/lopez.
Space Available and Alternative Transportation applications will be available on the PSD website and at the transportation office.  Requests are processed on first-come, first-served basis and are based on the space available on existing bus routes.  Parents are encouraged to apply as soon as applications are available.  Applications are available on the PSD website www.psdschools.org.  For more information, contact the transportation routing department at 490-3155.

Student Rights & Code of Conduct Booklets
The Student Rights and Code of Conduct booklet is being distributed electronically.  It is listed in multiple locations online: on the web front page under NEWS, as well as on the STUDENT and the PARENT pages under Student Conduct.  Please reference one of these so you can sign and return the verification sheet included in your first Friday Folder.

Back to School Night – Thursday, August 28, 5:00 - 6:30 p.m.
Our Back-to-School Night will be on Thursday, August 28, from 5:00 – 6:30 p.m. for all grades, K-5^th.  Teachers will present two informational sessions that are the same.  The first session will be at 5:00 - 5:30.  The second session will be 5:45 - 6:15 p.m.  The fifth grade team will have a special presentation about Eco-week.

Ongoing Communication
School communications will be sent to you by email.  Register at www.psdschools.org , parent tab, email alerts, choose Lopez under the elementary tab.

I look forward to connecting with everyone soon!

As always, feel free to call or email me if you have any questions.

Dr. Traci Gile,  Principal
tgile@psdschools.org
970-488-8800  

Stephen Boese- Assistant Principal

Poudre School District made the decision to provide Assistant Principals to elementary schools in order to help with the increasing evaluation workload related to recent legislation.  Lopez Elementary will have a 50% Assistant Principal, Stephen Boese.  Please join me in welcoming Mr. Boese!

I have most recently been a Poudre School District teacher at Harris Bilingual and Putnam Elementary Schools.  I taught 5th grade and one of the parts of my job I loved most was being the 'Science Guy' at Harris. I received my principal's license in 2007 from Colorado State University.

My wife also works in the district as a speech language pathologist. We have two boys, a rising third grader at Harris Elementary and a 4 year old. When not at work, my wife and I love spending time outdoors with our boys. You might run into us on the bike trails or at the pool. 

I will be at Lopez on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday AM. I have heard so many wonderful things about Lopez, and I am truly excited for this opportunity. I can't wait to get to know you all soon.

Sarah Vaughn- New Counselor

We enjoyed working with Michele Bishop this year at Lopez!  Michele decided to reduce her contract and just stay at one school next year, so we said goodbye and know she will do a great job serving the students and families at Bacon Elementary.

Sarah Vaughn will be our new counselor next year.  We are pleased to welcome her to Lopez Elementary!  Sarah will be at Lopez 50% working every Tuesday and Wednesday, as well as alternate Thursdays.

Sarah Vaughn

Professionally, I have been a school social worker for the past six years in Thompson School District in Loveland.  I received both my undergraduate and graduate degrees from Colorado State University.

Personally, I love spending time with my family and being a mom to my 11-month old baby boy.  I enjoy spending time outdoors running, hiking, boating, and skiing.

I am looking forward to joining the Lopez community this year!

New Staff Member- Shawn Radis, 5th grade

We said goodbye to longtime 5th grade teacher, Corey Kuhne at the end of this school year. Corey retired from Lopez but plans to continue working at Jax Mercantile and Outdoor Gear on N. College. Best wishes Corey!

I am very pleased to introduce Shawn Radis who is moving his family across country from New Jersey this summer to join us as a 5th grade teacher. Shawn will be specializing in social studies and science instruction.

Educational and Professional Background:

My name is Shawn Radis and I am very excited to be teaching at Lopez Elementary this upcoming academic year. Before Lopez, I previously taught 5th and 6th grades in Delaware and Pennsylvania. I grew up in Northern Idaho and have always loved the mountains. My family and I are so excited to be moving to Colorado and have the opportunity to move back to the Rocky Mountains. I have lived out East for the past 20 years due to the military, college and professional obligations that I had. I can’t wait to be a Colorado resident!

I spent over 3 years on active duty in the U.S. Army as an Infantryman at Fort Campbell, Kentucky and Camp Hovey, South Korea. I then received my Bachelor’s degree in law and justice from Rowan University in Glassboro, NJ. Finally, I received my Master’s degree in education from Drexel University in Philadelphia, PA. I hope to receive my Doctorate in Education in the very near future.

I have been teaching for 11 years and coaching baseball for 6 years. I spent 6 years teaching 6th grade Mathematics, Science and Social Studies in Delaware and 5 years teaching 5th grade Mathematics, Science and Social Studies in Pennsylvania.

My family consists of my wife Tara who is an emergency room nurse manager and my 3 children. My oldest son Hunter will be entering 5th grade and the twins, Abigail and Jake, will be entering 3rd grade. Then, there is Roxanne my 5 yr. old yellow lab and the two cats Parsley and Pork Chop. Our favorite activities are cheerleading, softball, baseball, swimming, waterskiing, hiking, camping, fishing and hunting. We are chomping at the bit to experience the outdoors of Colorado.

I am looking forward to having a fun and productive year as a 5th grade teacher at Lopez Elementary. GO LASERS!!!

Posted with Blogsy

New Staff- Jinnie Laturnus, PE teacher

This spring we said goodbye to longtime Lopez PE teacher, Barry Sabas.  Even though Barry retired from teaching, he will continue to coach basketball for Rocky Mountain High School.  Enjoy your retirement Mr. Sabas!

We are lucky to welcome Jinnie Laturnus to Lopez as our PE teacher.  She will work with all students in grades K-5.  She brings many years of experience to the position.

Hi my name is Jinnie Laturnus, I am so excited to start teaching Physical Education at Lopez Elementary!

I am coming from Cache La Poudre Elementary, and before CLPE I was at Preston Junior High.  I absolutely love my job! Teaching P.E is pure fun and a passion of mine.  I thoroughly enjoy children and teaching them about Physical Education!

On a personal note, my husband and I have 4 children.  We met at C.S.U and decided to stay in Fort Collins. We love the outdoors and really enjoy spending time with our entire family.

I am looking forward to meeting you and your children. 

Our Journey to Lighthouse Status

As many of you know, Lopez Elementary became the first school in Colorado to be awarded with Lighthouse status.  So, what does Lighthouse status mean, how do you get it, and what is the significance of it?

What is Lighthouse status?

Lighthouse status is a level of recognition for schools who have demonstrated nine benchmarks of implementation with the Leader in Me.  The Leader in Me is based on the principles from Dr. Stephen Covey's famous book, the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.  As an educational model, our students learn the personal habits that produce results.  They develop habits such as problem-solving, goal setting, personal responsibility, and other 21st century skills that support the mindset of growth and success.  Children also learn to discover their unique gifts and how their leadership can contribute to the larger community.   

How does a school receive Lighthouse status?

Lopez Elementary’s journey began in 2011 when the staff and community selected the Leader in Me for the school.  The staff then developed a book study on the Leader in Me to have a shared understanding of the work.  In year one, the teachers participated in several levels of training and certification to fully develop a vision for a student leadership culture.  Over the course of two years, we completed Vision training, 7 Habits training, Implementation training, Empowerment training, and Achieving School-Wide goals training.  A small group of staff and parents, called the Lighthouse team, also became certified trainers of the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People and 7 Habits of Successful Families.  We held our first family training in January 2013.

In August 2013, we set a goal to raise our level of implementation of the Leader in Me to a high level.  The indicator of a high degree of implementation is spelled out as "Lighthouse" status.  

On April 17, 2014, we held our Lighthouse review where a review group from Franklin Covey,

the Leader in Me organization, spent an entire day with our students, staff, and some parents.  Students led many aspects of the review, including school tours, sharing their leadership notebooks, and other highlights of our unique leadership culture.  For Lighthouse status, we had to demonstrate accomplishments in nine categories:  Lighthouse team, Leadership Environment, Integrated Curriculum and Instruction, Staff Collaboration, Student Leadership, Parent & Community Engagement, Leadership Events, Goal Tracking, and Measurable Results.  In the months leading up to the review, we created a digital portfolio that consisted of over 250 artifacts for the reviewers.  Throughout the review, we did our best to demonstrate all that the school and students had become, while still maintaining our identity as a strong neighborhood school.  On May 2, we revealed at our Leadership Day that we had been designated a Lighthouse school!

What is the significance of Lighthouse status?

We decided to pursue Lighthouse status as a way to push ourselves to continue to grow and improve our leadership culture.  First and foremost, we wanted the feedback as an organization about what we were doing well for kids and where we could improve.  Pursuing Lighthouse status helped us to do that.  Additionally, Lighthouse schools serve as a model of leadership and mentor other schools.  This gives us an opportunity to connect with other schools and share our practices as well as learn from their successes.  Worldwide, there are nearly 1700 schools involved with the Leader in Me, and ninety-four are designated as Lighthouse schools. 

  

Lopez’s journey toward Lighthouse status reflects a commitment to empowering children to be self-disciplined in achieving their personal and academic goals.  This award reflects our school's mission to develop leaders today, so they can be leaders tomorrow.  Our vision is for children to develop a strong self-concept and awareness of their valuable contributions. We strive to recognize the worth and potential in every child, so clearly that they see it in themselves!